


come and get your love

by ashavahishta



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: M/M, POV Outsider, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-03
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:41:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27858510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashavahishta/pseuds/ashavahishta
Summary: Athena spent a lot of time around couples. It just so happened that everybody in their little group was paired off at the moment; Maddie and Chim, Karen and Hen, herself and Bobby. Even Michael and Albert had each brought a date. And after watching them together all night, it was hard not to let her brain classify Buck and Eddie as a pair as well.It just...felt right. The two were glued to each other. They kept each other in sight even across the room. They picked food from each others’ plates and always came back with two drinks if they went for refills. They both helped Christopher get food from the grill and sat down on either side of him to eat. The three of them were a unit, and a very sweet one at that.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Comments: 64
Kudos: 550





	come and get your love

Athena Grant knew approximately three facts about one Edmundo Diaz:

  1. He served in the Army as a medic and came home with a silver star
  2. He had a very cute son named Christopher who had special needs
  3. He was a well loved member of the 118



When Eddie joined Bobby’s team she only really heard about him peripherally - a character in Bobby’s stories about work. After a few weeks he began to show up at their group gatherings, usually dragged by a grinning Buck, then eventually with Christopher.

Eddie seemed like a nice enough guy - kind of stoic at first, sure, but he had opened up more as he became comfortable with the group. Christopher was adorable - smart and friendly, he fit right in with Denny and Harry. After a few months Athena was beginning to include the Diaz boys in what she thought of as their large and mismatched extended family.

She had been glad to hear from Bobby that Eddie and Buck had quickly formed a strong bond. Buck, as much as he frustrated her sometimes, had a special place in her heart and she knew he only meant well. She also suspected that for all of Buck’s bright smiles he was something of a lonely individual; it was hard not to notice how much he craved Bobby’s approval and attention. So it was nice to hear that he had found a friend in Eddie...nobody deserved it as much as Buck did.

She hadn’t realised exactly how close the two men were until tonight.

It was something of an impromptu get together to celebrate Karen and Hen’s adoption papers being approved for Nia. As usual, it seemed automatic for everybody to show up at Athena and Bobby’s, each of them trickling in at various points of the evening as their respective shifts finished. Bobby manned the grill. Hen brought champagne and a beaming smile, May was running the Bluetooth speakers with a kind of ferocious focus and Chim showed up with an enormous and very ugly cake in the shape of a baby. 

“It’s the closest we could get!” he defended while Maddie rolled her eyes and helped him place it on the kitchen counter. “They don’t exactly make ‘Congratulations on finally adopting your foster child’ cakes.”

“Where’s your brother?” Athena asked, filling a glass of white wine for Maddie and sliding a bottle of beer across the counter to Chim.

“They’ll be here soon,” Maddie replied. “Something about collecting Christopher from Eddie’s grandmother’s.”

Athena didn’t ask why, exactly, Buck was involved in this particular process. It became quite clear when the door opened about half an hour later. 

Buck let himself in first, carrying a plate in one hand. Christopher followed him inside with Eddie bringing up the rear, the three of them chatting animatedly as they closed the door behind them. Everybody scattered around the living room called out greetings and the two men waved back. Christopher was busy attempting to navigate the steps into the lounge. Athena had seen this happen before; it always made her feel a little guilty for not having better access, even if Eddie assured her it was fine. Christopher would find his way down by himself, even if it took awhile. Tonight, she watched as Buck bounded to the bottom of the stairs, waiting patiently as Christopher made his way down. Eddie hovered behind with his hand just off Christopher’s shoulder, the boy surrounded by support even as he made the descent alone.

At the base of the steps Buck ruffled Christopher’s curls, Eddie handing him back his crutches. Christopher spotted Denny and Harry outside and immediately took off. Buck and Eddie entered the kitchen and took turns to kiss Athena on the cheek and thank her for inviting them.

“What have you got there?” Athena asked, nodding at the plate in Buck’s hand. 

“Tamales, courtesy of Eddie’s Abuela.” He handed over the plate with a flourish. 

“And she doesn’t make them for just anyone, so consider yourselves blessed,” Eddie added with a grin. He accepted the beer Chim pushed toward him and passed another one on to Buck. 

“She’s made them for me twice already,” Buck boasted. He sent a pleased smile Eddie’s way and bumped their shoulders together, the two standing close together. “I’m her favourite.” 

Eddie rolled his eyes, but his expression was fond. “She’s just grateful you took Christopher that day she had to go to the dentist. I wouldn’t say she’s adopting you any time soon.”

“We’ll see.” Buck winked and took a sip of his beer. 

  
  
  


Athena spent a lot of time around couples. It just so happened that everybody in their little group was paired off at the moment; Maddie and Chim, Karen and Hen, herself and Bobby. Even Michael and Albert had each brought a date. And after watching them together all night, it was hard not to let her brain classify Buck and Eddie as a pair as well. 

It just...felt right. The two were glued to each other. They kept each other in sight even across the room. They picked food from each others’ plates and always came back with two drinks if they went for refills. They both helped Christopher get food from the grill and sat down on either side of him to eat. The three of them were a unit, and a very sweet one at that.

Later in the evening, things were beginning to wind down. The food had been packed away. People had started to drift home. The remaining kids were in Harry’s room watching a movie, with the adults sprawled lazily in lounges and deck chairs scattered around the yard. Athena, somewhat wearied from her hosting duties, had curled into Bobby’s side about an hour ago and was half listening to the conversation drifting around her. 

On her left, Chim and Buck were quietly yet passionately arguing about some TV show or another. Buck’s usually puppy-ish energy was somewhat dimmed by the late hour but he was still gesturing emphatically, blue eyes wide and earnest while Chim just shook his head fondly. On Athena’s right, Hen and Karen were teasing Eddie about his lack of hobbies outside of work.

“C’mon, you gotta have  _ something _ , Eddie,” Karen implored. “Reading? Cooking? A pet rock collection?”

Eddie was shrugging, looking a little abashed as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Does gym count?”

“Nuh uh. You have to keep fit for work, that’s like...a responsibility. It only counts if it’s something you do for fun or to relax. What about -” Hen was pointing at him with her wine glass. “Hiking, or surfing? You like being outdoors.”

“Yeah,” Eddie hedged, drawing the word out. “I dunno Hen, I don’t have time off. I’m a single dad, it’s kinda a full time job.” 

It was perfect timing, as Christopher had just nudged open the sliding door with a crutch and was making his way outside. Hen watched Eddie’s eyes track the boy across the yard and said, “Bet you wouldn’t change it for the world though.”

Eddie smiled, a soft look on his face. “Never.”

He sat up slightly, clearly expecting Christopher to go over to him. But Chris had other ideas. He walked slowly up to Buck and, to everyone’s surprise, began to try and crawl into his lap.

If Buck himself was shocked, he didn’t show it. In fact, his conversation with Chim barely slowed as he lifted an arm to make room for the nine year old to wriggle into his arms. Voice a low murmur, Buck took Christopher’s crutches and carefully set them beside his chair. “Hey, buddy.”

Christopher’s eyes were drooping. He allowed Buck to pull his glasses off and set them aside. Chris made a small snuffling noise as he turned his face into Buck’s neck. A quiet voice asked, “Are we going soon?”

“Yeah, not too long now,” Buck assured him. His broad hand had settled onto the boy’s back, rubbing gently as he turned back to Chim. “My  _ point  _ is, if you haven’t read the book you can’t understand how much they fu- messed it up in the show!”

Aside from lowering his voice slightly, Buck didn’t appear at all perturbed by the child slumbering in his lap. As conversation resumed around them, Athena thought that this couldn’t possibly be the first time this had happened. There was a warmth, a bond shared between that little boy and Buck - a bond she had underestimated until this moment. Christopher was slumped in Buck’s arms with the complete, unselfconscious trust a child could only give to someone they loved very deeply. He was heavy with sleep, back rising gently under Buck’s careful hand. 

Athena knew what that felt like. She could remember exactly how it felt to hold her children at parties like this; Harry’s head tucked into her shoulder at her cousin’s wedding. May almost horizontal across her lap at a New Years’ barbecue. If she thought back hard enough, she could even tap into that feeling of total safety she had found being carried back to the car by her mother after a long night.

She had been staring at the pair for a minute or so before she realised that she wasn’t the only one. Turning her head, Athena found Eddie with his gaze locked onto his son and best friend.

He looked...kind of like he was seeing them both for the first time. 

Eddie’s eyes had widened, his grip loose around his beer as he stared at Christopher fast asleep on Buck’s chest. Hen and Karen were still talking to him but it was very clear that he wasn’t taking in a word they were saying.

Athena allowed herself a tiny, knowing smile. A lot of things were suddenly making much more sense. 

She wondered though…

Did they make sense to Eddie?

Judging by the stunned look on his face, she thought maybe not. Yet.

  
  
  


It was maybe another half an hour of quiet chatter before Eddie heaved himself up from the lounge. He went over to where Buck, Christopher and Chim were sitting and directed a soft smile down at this sleeping son. Athena watched as Eddie’s hand reached out and settled comfortably at the back of Buck’s neck. “You about ready to get out of here?”

Buck looked up. He looked soft and drowsy in the dim light, and he blinked slowly at Eddie for a moment before smiling. “Sure.”

He handed Christopher’s crutches and glasses to Eddie and levered himself up, holding Christopher easily against his chest. Christopher didn’t wake, and a look of relief passed between Buck and Eddie.

It seemed to the cue for the remaining guests to see themselves out as well. Athena lost track of the trio as she made her goodbyes, but ended up catching Eddie at the door. He was the last one out, and she stood beside him to watch as Buck deposited a still sleeping Christopher into the car.

“You told Hen tonight that you’re a single father,” Athena said. 

Surprised, Eddie sent her a questioning glance. “Yeah?”

Athena just shrugged and nodded in Buck’s direction. “You sure about that?”

  
  


Eddie was a hard guy to read. Stoic, she’d thought. But the look on his face in that moment - the same shock he’d worn in the yard, now mixed with dawning realisation and - perhaps - a little bit of hope…

Well. She was starting to think a  _ lot _ of things were suddenly making sense to him. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic in this fandom and my first time publishing anything in FIVE YEARS so good god, please be gentle with me.  
> I'm active on tumblr - @ ashavahishta.tumblr.com and would dearly love new friends for buddie prompts and discussion! Please hit me up!


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